Beauly carer organises craft fair to support community, families and carers
A dedicated carer is organising a special event to support carers, families, and those in need of care - while also paying tribute to a woman who inspired her.
Nicki Bell, from Beauly, has been working in care for 15 years.
She describes her work as deeply rewarding, the 53-year-old said: “I get on with all sorts of people and love hearing their stories. Even as a child, I wanted to visit all the elderly people in my neighbourhood - caring isn’t something I can look past.”
Nicki has set up Jen’s Craft Care Fair in memory of Jen, a woman she cared for, along with her husband, until they both passed away in 2024. Jen had dementia, but her love for crafting inspired Nicki to incorporate it into the event.
She explained: “Their son has generously given me permission to share their story to help as many people in our community as possible.
“In their memory, we are hosting a special fair - an event Jen was deeply involved in before dementia took hold of their lives.”
Nicki has also expressed gratitude to those who supported Jen and her husband during their difficult times.
She added: “Despite their battle, there are a few people we couldn’t thank enough, as would Jen and her husband if they were here. The blue team of Dingwall nurses, the Dingwall doctors, and Dr Mac, who had known them for over 30 years, were incredible. We could always reach out to them for advice, and they visited whenever needed. For an already stretched NHS system, these people are an inspiration.”
Nicki hopes the fair will encourage more people to become carers while also offering support to families struggling to navigate the care system.
The mum-of-five explained: “I’ve always talked about the care crisis, so I thought about what I could do to help. Many families don’t know where to turn when a loved one needs care, so I wanted to create something for the community.”
The fair will provide information about different types of care, including palliative care, day-to-day support, cooking, cleaning, and companionship care. A dedicated table for private carers will also be available.
Awareness about unpaid carers is also being highlighted at the event.
Several representatives from key organisations will be attending the event, which is sponsored by Beauly Taxis, including Susan Webster from Highland Council’s welfare team, who will be available to offer advice on benefits and claims to ensure people receive their full entitlements.
Lynne Paterson from Carr Gomm, a social care charity, will be present to provide impartial advice. Connecting Carers will also be in attendance, working with unpaid carers to ensure they are acknowledged and supported.
There will be an area for experienced carers to offer guidance to those interested in joining the profession or seeking support in their current roles, as well as help for those in need of daily, overnight, or respite care.
Highland Hospice and, hopefully, the local Alzheimer’s Society - who will receive the event’s proceeds - will also be present. Nicki has also been in discussions with Jamie Stone, MP for Caithness, Sutherland, and Easter Ross, who is a carer for his wife. She reached out to ask for support, and he has kindly agreed to help.
Alongside care-related resources, the fair will feature a dedicated section for crafts and homemade goods available for purchase. Tea and coffee will be served, and a craft table will be set up where children can take part in a competition.
A raffle will also be held. Nicki added: “Please come along - we can provide advice on anything.”
The Care Fair will take place on Saturday, April 5, from noon until 4pm at Phipps Hall, Beauly.
